Yasiel Puig's Replacement Aristides Aquino Has Exploded from Nobody to Superstar

A month ago, virtually no one knew Aristides Aquino's name. He didn't top any prospect lists, and he hadn't made a mark in the big leagues since signing as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2011.

Now, after a scalding August, he's a key cog in the Cincinnati Reds offense and is more than filling the Yasiel Puig-shaped hole in their lineup.

Before we parse Aquino's meteoric ascent, let's gaze at those August numbers: 29 games, 115 plate appearances, 33 hits, 14 home runs, 33 RBI, 1.158 OPS.

His 14 round-trippers set the National League rookie record and tied the franchise record for homers in a calendar month, and the eight home runs he swatted in his first 12 games…